[allergy] or an epidemic

Just saw the weather `'brought to you by claratyne" downunder - I always thought that this was only available in Russia, where I used it due to what I thought was rhinitis.  I also used Semprex.

Now I'm wondering how widespread the usage is.  If the majority of people are taking it in every country, then it appears we might have a silent epidemic on our hands and the advert attached to the weather report makes sense.

[brown] the colour of a hoon

Defence Secretary Mr Browne is to leave the government after turning down two job offers from Mr Brown.  Former agriculture minister, and close Gordon Brown ally, Nick Brown returns as chief whip, to replace Mr Hoon.

Let me see - there's a Brown, Brown, Browne ... mmm ... and somehow they are all connected with a hoon*.

* Wiki says: 

The term "Hoon" was first used in Australia at the turn of the 20th century where it referred to a man living off immoral earnings (i.e. a pimp).  

Hmmm [adjusts pince nez glasses on nose and smiles].

[lawyers] make 'em all circuit judges

Here's the thing on lawyers which you won't remember that this blogger threatened to post.  It arose from an ongoing discussion over this way - hope you like it.

The first in the series was called "small government".  This is the second.

In a nutshell, we alter the whole paradigm in law.  All current lawyers either join the circuit of travelling magistrates [or indeed fixed ones] and all civil and criminal law is handled through them.  No need for solicitors, just clerks.  No need for juries or jury service, just magistrates.

All law works on precedent and on standard procedures developed and written up over the years, certainly in civil matters and there can easily be available blueprints on how to proceed. 

So it works this way.  

Two people are contracting to buy and sell a home.  The estate agent has the standard forms and explanatory notes on site and these are explained to the two parties and copies given.  However, there is a dispute over the exact boundary of the property and this needs resolution.

First step [gratis] is for the estate agent clerk who handles the legal side to sit down with the two parties and talk common sense.  It should resolve the majority of issues.  But let's say one party has dug his heels in and so they need to get a "travelling" arbiter in who, if almost all lawyers have joined this service, will be like well paid JPs.  His decision is final and is binding in law.  He is paid by the plaintiff, if he was the victor as the loser has lost out.  This reduces spurious dispute.

In criminal matters, the magistrate acts as just that.  There is provision for appeal to three magistrates sitting empanelled.

The thing is, the enormous sums saved by eliminating the legal gravy train go back into ordinary people's pockets but the lawyers themselves don't lose out.  They still earn a decent sum as magistrates and as it was in the case of good lawyers/bad lawyers, people can choose which ones to co-opt and which not to.

By changing the whole nature of adversarial law, all the sophistry, all the hanky-panky and all the rip-offs are swept away.

[hidden readers] where are you, who are you

You know what I'd really like to know?

There are known knowns, such as those who blogroll me and I them and we visit each other and all is roses.  There are those who blogroll me and I them and we never visit.

Then there are the ones this post is about - the fair souls who have blogrolled me and who visit at a distance [maybe via RSS] and because I don't know who they are, I never get a chance to reciprocate.

Step forward and tell me, if you would.

[most unpopular occupations] which

Which is the most unpopular occupation in your eyes at this present time? Some have said that, until recently, lawyers led this list but now politicians have overtaken them. Care to vote on this? Only one vote per ip address per day:

pollcode.com free polls

Which is the most unpopular occupation in your eyes?

Dentists Cold-call telemarketers Traffic wardens Little men on gates at events Politicians Lawyers Record labels Local councils Bureaucrats Other

Record labels must be right up there with the squeeze on Apple which might mean they will abandon their IStore in the near future:

"If word gets out that music publishers are trying to stick it to consumers, and Apple is fighting to keep prices down on their behalf, well, there's liable to be public backlash against the labels. If this thing follows the normal course, there would be calls for boycotts, protests and so on."

[drug of choice] what do you retreat to

When it's all too much for you, when you're thoroughly bored or overwrought, apart from praying to the Good Lord, what do you retreat to?

Up front, I admit that when it's all too much I grab a sheet of A4, a ruler, "B" grade pencil, eraser, calculator and set square and design myself another yacht. You can imagine how many I've designed over the years.

What's your retreat? Tea, coffee, beer, spirits, sex, acid, weed, what? Naturally you're not going to admit some of these.

Alternatively, let's say you were in a room alone and someone had put some XXXX in front of you and departed. You now have serious problems resisting it and if you were left to your own devices, you'd consume it all. What would that XXXX be for you?

Mine is chocolate.